This Black-Owned Brand Makes The Best Nude Lipsticks We've Ever Worn

Everyone's makeup style is different. Some of us can't walk out the door without a full beat. Others are happy with a dab of concealer and handy lip balm. Maybe you're a mix of both extremes. Regardless of where your skills and preference fall on the beauty spectrum, a nude lipstick is one product that checks all the boxes.

Besides the fact that you can dress it up or down, what makes a color "nude" is really up to the person wearing it. The general rule of thumb is that it should be a shade lighter or darker than your skin color, but some of us rather match it to our undertones.

Case in point: brown lippies aren't the only viable option for Black girls. That's why our current obsession is Mented Cosmetics, a Black-owned brand that makes neutral-toned lipsticks and nail polish for women of color. Harvard Business School graduates KJ Miller and Amanda Johnson started the inclusive brand in their kitchen and now, even makeup artists are requesting samples for their kit.

National Lipstick Day is tomorrow (7/29), so we went beyond the hype to test these formulas ourselves. Keep scrolling to see ESSENCE staffers rocking a slew of Mented shades and if you like what you see, shop the entire lineup. (Pro-tip: You can also see what each shade looks like on a spectrum of skin tones here.)

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